James Kirkup is The Telegraph's Executive Editor (Politics). He was previously the Telegraph's Political Editor and has worked at Westminster since 2001.

Des Browne's ethical conundrums

Full coverage of UK politicsTales from the Terrace… After yesterday's observations about Des Browne's willingness to vote for the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, I'm told that on the night of the vote, Des was showing an old friend around the Commons, and briefly left his companion on the terrace outside Strangers' Bar as he popped upstairs to the division lobbies.

What raised eyebrows was that the old friend in question was a Catholic priest in full fig.Â What on earth did the Defence Secretary tell his friend as he left? Perhaps it was: "Excuse me a second, Father, I just have to go and vote for a grotesque attack on the sanctity and dignity of human life"?